2023-07-31 Aspartame possible cancer cause 阿斯巴甜被归类为可能致癌物

尽管阿斯巴甜最近被列为 “可能” 致癌物，但专家并未对建议的阿斯巴甜饮食摄入量做出改变。

The WHO says it has listed aspartame as possibly carcinogenic on the basis of limited evidence that it may increase the risk of liver cancer. This places aspartame in the same hazard classification group as aloe vera and Asian pickled vegetables, but below those deemed probably carcinogenic such as night shift work and eating red meat.

世界卫生组织称，基于有限的证据表明阿斯巴甜有可能增加罹患肝癌的风险，他们已将阿斯巴甜列为可能致癌物。这使得阿斯巴甜被归类至与芦荟和亚洲泡菜相同的危险物级别，但致癌风险低于被认为很可能导致癌症的行为，比如值夜班和食用红肉。

The WHO says the current safe daily limits for aspartame are unchanged. That means an adult weighing 11 stone or 70 kilos would need to drink more than four litres of diet soft drink a day to exceed the acceptable daily limit. When asked which was better for you, a can of diet or regular sugary cola, a WHO scientist recommended a third option, water.

世界卫生组织表示，目前针对阿斯巴甜的每日最高安全摄入量没有改变。这意味着一个体重为11英石、即70公斤的成年人需要饮用超过四升的代糖低脂软饮才会超过阿斯巴甜的每日允许摄入量。而当被问到无糖可乐和普通的含糖可乐相比，喝哪个更好时，世界卫生组织的一名科学家推荐了第三种选择：水。

词汇表

carcinogenic 致癌的
basis 基础，根据
limited evidence 有限的证据，不完全的证据
risk 风险
hazard 危险物
night shift 夜班
safe daily limit 每日最高安全摄入量
stone （重量单位）英石
acceptable 可接受的
sugary 含糖的

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. Does aspartame definitely cause cancer? 

2. True or False? Aspartame is more likely to cause cancer than eating red meat. 

3. How much diet soft drink would someone need to drink to go over the daily limit?

4. Which drink did the WHO scientist recommend?

答案

1. Does aspartame definitely cause cancer?

No, it has been listed as possibly carcinogenic – it may increase the possibility of liver cancer, but it might not.

2. True or False? Aspartame is more likely to cause cancer than eating red meat.

False. The article says that aspartame is in a hazard classification group below that of eating red meat.

3. How much diet soft drink would someone need to drink to go over the daily limit?

A 70kg adult would have to drink more than four litres of diet soft drink to go over the daily limit. 

4. Which drink did the WHO scientist recommend?

The scientist recommended drinking water.